1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to global positioning systems, and more particularly, to a group global positioning system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A global positioning system (GPS) is typically used for performing a positioning operation. The positioning operation involves comparing geographic location coordinates with road/street data stored in a road/street database (i.e. e-maps), calculating the data related to a road/street where a portable electronic device is presently located and the data related to the actual geographic location of the portable electronic device, and displaying the data. Global positioning systems nowadays are widely used in vehicle-oriented road/street positioning devices for positioning any moving vehicle. The positioning function of the global positioning systems is increasingly integrated into portable electronic devices like cellular phones and PDAs.
Nevertheless, the aforesaid positioning function configured for just a single tool is never adequate to meet a need. For instance, if a member of a group tour of sparsely populated places (for example, deserts and mountains) lags behind her or his fellow tour members, the slow tour member can identify her or his own geographic location, using an electronic device with a positioning function, but s/he will not be able to know the geographic location of her or his fellow tour members, and in consequence s/he will be prevented from hurrying to catch up. On the other hand, her or his fellow tour members fail to lend a helping hand to the slow tour member, as they have no idea about the slow tour member's current geographic location. Another problem is that a tour organizer is ignorant of the current geographic location of individual tour members, and thus the tour organizer fails to know whether the group tour is underway as scheduled.
Accordingly, an issue calling for urgent action is related to development of a global positioning technology to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.